Shampoos

[Marsha Cassada]

I've had trouble the last couple of years with dandruff on my horses. I've tried various shampoos. Someone on this forum suggested Grandpa's Wonder Pine Tar shampoo. I just ordered it online, but since then I've noticed quite a few catalogs carry it. I've bathed my horses twice this year with it and I see a great improvement. It doesn't smell bad, lathers up and rinses easily.

I'll be ordering more of it.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I like blue dawn dish soap. Keeps my guys looking snazzy (one is a light dapple grey out her is a mostly white pinto) and cuts the greasey nasty dandruff they seem to get.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Tea tree shampoo and baby oil. Also look at diet and make sure there are enough oils in the feed to promote healthy skin.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

It's been over a week since I shampooed with the pine tar shampoo, and not a flake to be seen.

I saw something about rinsing with white vinegar on a horse site, and used that this afternoon. It's pretty warm today and I think they enjoyed the cool down. I put it in the hose-end sprayer.

The extreme weather we've had here the last three years have caused lots of problems. The vets all say they are seeing a huge increase in skin problems with dogs, and the hoof trimmer has been seeing lots of changes in his clients' horses. I used to use Dawn, but it has been been helpful any more.

I will check on the tea tree shampoo. I've tried the oil for various things, but never the shampoo.

 

[Marty]

Orvus.

And I recently tried the Tractor Supply brand blue shampoo with aloe. It's $5.99 and wow, i'm surprised.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I did my second vinegar rinse yesterday. I haven't had any more dandruff and I think it helps with the flies and mosquitos. It is mixed one part white vinegar and 2 parts water. My hose end sprayer only mixes 1:6, though, so that is what I've been using. I might mix it in a bucket and sponge on next time with the stronger solution. The site said to pay extra attention to the tail bone, and I really work it into the mane. The hose end sprayer really gets into the thick mane and tail, I think, better than just sponging. My horses seem to enjoy the vinegar bath. The vinegar raises the PH level of the skin and makes it inhospitable to insects. It's early summer days yet so we shall see...

I've never used Orvus, but it sure has a super reputation.

 

[madmax]

I've used Orvus for 30 years, to me, nothing out there beats it, important that it rinses very well, and one tub lasts practically forever as it is concentrated and mixed with water to use. Very economical as well. I think I will try your vinegar rinse for the mosquitoes.

 

[MiniNHF]

Ive used a natural rose shampoo on my boy and took the dandruff right away even when listerine wouldnt.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've been doing the white vinegar rinse every 4-5 days and neither of my horses has any dandruff, and no rubbing. May be just a coincidence, but I really feel, in addition to the spring shampooing, that it is effective. And what could be easier!

 

[orin]

At what ratio do you dilute the vinegar to rinse?

 

[poniesrule]

Interesting! I've been banging my head trying to figure out what to do for my guys flaky dandruff, both are dark, so it really shows! We have a pump house where we can't control water flow, so finding something that rinses out well is a must. I'm going to try the vinegar. I always have gallons of that stuff on hand for cleaning my house. We always used Orvus when I was younger & showing, not sure why I didn't think to fall back on that one.... Ivory soap is what we used for the "chrome" and it really made the white shine.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

At what ratio do you dilute the vinegar to rinse?

The instruction was 1 part vinegar to two parts water. My sprayer is 1:6, and I'm sticking with that because the sprayer is so easy to use. It really gets into the mane area and the tail bone. I just fill the spray bottle with vinegar, attach the hose, direct the nozzle, and spray pretty much full blast until the vinegar in the bottle is used up. Takes about 5 minutes.

Only around the forelock do I soften the pressure, as they hate water in their faces.

 

[Gone_Riding]

I LOVE Grandpa's Pine Tar soap. Used it myself for my shampoo and loved how soft it made my hair. It got rid of sores, made my hare amazingly soft, and made it shiny. Never thought about it for the horse.